India, Azerbaijan sign treaty on legal and judicial cooperation

India and Azerbaijan have signed a treaty on legal and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters.

The treaty was signed by Law and Justice Minister Dr. Ashwani Kumar and visiting Azerbaijan Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov here yesterday.

The two sides also had delegation- level talks. The two Ministers hailed the close cooperation between India and Azerbaijan and hoped that the bonds between the two countries will strengthen further.

This treaty between the two countries in civil matters is a comprehensive agreement for reciprocal arrangement with foreign countries for service of summons, for issuing Letters of request, for taking of evidence, for execution of civil decrees and for enforcement of arbitral awards.

As per provisions of the treaty, requests for legal assistance shall be made through the Central Authorities of the Contracting Parties. In India, the central authority is the Ministry of Law and Justice and in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the central authority is the Ministry of Justice.

The treaty aims to benefit the citizens of the respective States seeking legal assistance in civil and commercial matters in the requested State irrespective of any gender, class or income bias. This treaty will open the avenues of cooperation between both the countries in other sectors/spheres also.

Similar Treaties on Civil and Commercial Matters have already been signed with France, U.A.E., Russia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Mongolia, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan.